I grew up in isolated Gisborne pre-internet. Great place for kids! Studied art at high school, (Lytton HS), under Norman McLean. I had always wanted to be an art teacher from primary school, but while doing my Fine Arts Preliminary in 7th form I realised that teaching wasn't a good idea. With that realisation I decided that there wasn't any point to going to art school as it lead to no other occupation opportunities in those days.

I dropped out as a punk rocker instead and used music as my form of expression for the next 20 years while performing in bands. Eventually I realised that I needed more creative output and help developing that, so I went to Whanganui UCOL and studied for a Diploma in ART and Design under Andrea du Chatenier and Kate Sellars, among others, at the age of 60/61.

 

I discovered that I love ceramic work! The joy of making a 3D form that expresses my political and social ideas/ideals was a revelation. After achieving success in securing my Diploma and not having sufficient money for a degree, I have been practicing in my own home studio since leaving art school.

 

I am a sculptor. I have not the skills nor desire to make tableware or housewares. I am thoroughly enjoying my new life direction and am the better person for having made the decision to attend art school in Whanganui.

 

As a new, inexperienced artist my work is going through rapid changes and development as I create my own style and techniques to express my thoughts and ideas. The two main streams of ideas can be categorized as the political,  and the personal.

 

The political works are based on my world view and may or may not contain humour to convey meaning. They cover not just politics but also social mores and the effects these have on societies.

 

The personal work is emotive, and focused on relationships, with the environment, each other, and ourselves. These works contain a high degree of fragility and tension as they explore the connectivity of our existence.

 

The two streams of thought are continually converging and diverging in relation to my own life and external events. I see the artist as a spokesperson for life, a mirror to gaze into, and a reflection of their world. I explore this perception through structures that are fragile, brittle, and seemingly terminal through the use of space and angles, weightlessness with structure. This leads to an ethereal quality in the best works with a lightness and elegance that some find intimidating.